Rome s Crisis of the Third Century Explained

Rome's Crisis of the Third Century Explained with Adrian Goldsworthy


Tribunate and Adrian Goldsworthy. Historian and Novelist

Distinguished historian Dr. Adrian Goldsworthy joins to discuss Rome's Crisis of the Third Century (235–284 AD), a tumultuous period marked by political instability, military upheaval, economic disruption, and regional fragmentation. But was the “crisis” a systemic collapse or a period of transformation and to what extent did third century events enable the reforms of Diocletian and Constantine?

Drawing on current historiography, the discussion analyzes the structural and contingent factors behind the crisis, including: Patterns of imperial usurpation and rapid succession, the role of the Roman army in political power, and external pressures along the Rhine, Danube, and eastern frontiers

The conversation also situates the third-century crisis within the broader transition from the Principate to the Dominate, addressing how this period shaped the administrative, military, and ideological foundations of the later Roman Empire that emerged in the wake of the crisis. This nuanced discussion is designed for students, researchers, and specialists interested in Roman history and the breakdown of Roman order into late antiquity, while remaining accessible to a wider audience seeking a deeper, evidence-based understanding of Rome’s near-collapse and recovery.

00:45 - Why Rome is Interesting
05:54 - Origins of the Crisis of the Third Century
18:58 - The Decline of the Roman Military
29:48 - Why did the Roman Military Cease to be Effective?
40:58 - Changes in the Roman Military During the Third Century
47:22 - Rise of the Barracks Emperors and the Dominate
58:35 - The Decline of the Senate and Changing Ideology of Legitimacy
1:06:50 - Diocletian and the Tetrarchy

Buy Goldsworthy’s books: https://amzn.to/4rYuXEQ

More Tribunate Interviews:
   • Tribunate Interviews 

The Collapse of Legitimacy and Rome's 3rd Century Crisis:    • The Collapse of Legitimacy and Rome's 3rd ... 
Crisis of the 3rd Century: The Persian Wars -    • Crisis of the 3rd Century: The Persian Wars 
The Year of the 6 Emperors -    • The Year of the Six Emperors